Background: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a disorder in which vascular thrombosis and / or recurrent pregnancy losses occur in a patient who has laboratory evidence of antibodies against phospholipids or phospholipids binding protein cofactor. Usually the patient presents at an age between 35- 45 years, with equal male to female ratio. Mostly they present with thrombosis or pregnancy complication. A quarter of the patients have thrombocytopenia and about one fifth have hemolytic anemia. The diagnosis rests on the criteria set as the Revised classification criteria for the Antiphospholipid syndrome
Patients and Methods; During the period from 1st Jan. 2002 until the 1st Jan. 2006,24 patients who met the criteria of APS (according to Revised classification criteria for the Antiphospholipid syndrome) were included in the study. The diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was done by using Doppler study of the selected organ,
while brain CT and magnetic resonance imaging were used to diagnose cerebrovascular thromboses.Serological evidence of APA were either an abnormal KCT and KCT index and/or a positive aCL antibody test on 2 occasions.
Results : Three quarter of our patients were females, more than half of them aged 21-30 years ,54.16% of our patients presented with thrombosis the commonest site of which was DVT of lower extremities. Abortion alone was the presenting problem in two patients and two patients presented with thrombosis following abortion Another two patients presented with bleeding problems. Gathering the history; follow up abortion occurred in ten of the thirteen premenapausal married ladies, of whom five had more than three abortions.\Laboratory evaluation revealed anemia in 8 patients (33.33% ) and thrombocytopenia in 5 patients (20.8% ).The KCT and KCT index were suggestive of APS in 14 of the 23 patients tested
(60.86%)and the aCL was positive in 15 of the 19 tested patients (78.94 %).
Conclusion, We think that our study, although small, highlights some of the clinical and laboratory findings of this syndrome in Iraqi patients, larger studies are needed for better
evaluation.
Background: Cerebral ischemia associated with Antiphospholipid Syndrome(APS) is a common arterial manifestation in adults.
Objectives: To look for the frequency of Antiphospholipid Antibodies (aPL), and their relation with other risk factors in young patients with cerebral ischemia.
Patients and methods: A retrospective study of 40 young patient’s ≤ 50 years with stroke collected from medical and neurological wards of Baghdad Teaching Hospital (BTH) from January - December 2009. All were inquired about the presence of risk factors of stroke, and sent for aPL including Anticardiolipin (ACL) and Lupus Anticoagulant (LA).
Results: Eight (20%) had ACL. Nine (22.5%) had LA. Both were present in 6(15%). ACL and/or LA were present
Background: The median nerve in paraplegic patients, who must rely on increased hand activities including transfer and wheel-chair propulsion, may be subjected to increased pressure, so that the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) may be higher than that in the normal population.
Objectives: To study the prevalence and the severity of carpal tunnel syndrome in Iraqi paraplegic patients and to identify the effect of duration of the injury as a possible factor related to its occurrence to avoid any chronic problems which interfere with the hand functions since these patients are greatly dependent on their hands for their daily activities.
Patients and Methods: Fifty paraplegic patients (100 hands), whose level of spinal cord in
Background: To shed some light on the clinical features of patients with Reiter's syndrome.
Methods: Reiter's syndrome in 50 patients (38 males and 12 females) was reported in a prospective study. All patients were subjected to detailed history, full clinical assessment and a slit
lamp eye examination by an Ophthalmologist. A Dermatologist opinion was sought when needed and thorough laboratory and radiological investigations were made for all patients.
Results: Reiter's syndrome was post-dysnteric in 44 (88%) of patients and post-venereal in 6 (12%) patients. Its clinical features are similar to other series. Arthritis was noted in all
patients, diarrhea in 44 (88%), eye lesions in 40 (80%) and mucocutaneous le
Back ground: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a common chronic musculo-skeletal disorder resulting in chronic widespread pain impacting on quality life.
Objectives: To assess the relationship between FMS and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and to evaluate the predictors of this relationship if present.
Patients and Methods: One hundred Iraqi KOA patients and 100 healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional study. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done for all patients. Baseline characteristics [age, sex, duration, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, family history (Hx) of KOA, smoking history, and drug history.] were also documented. Laboratory analysis included complete blood count, erythrocyte
Background: The demographic characteristics of Iraqi patients with the metabolic syndrome (MS) and presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been scarcely studied before.
Aim of the study To study the socio-demographic characteristics of a group of Iraqi patients with MS presenting with ACS.
Patients and Methods: A convenience sample of 150 cases presenting with ACS and admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) of Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad from mid-January through July 2011 were included in the current cross-sectional study. The data needed for the study was collected through a direct interview to fill a questionnaire by all cases carried out by a consu
... Show MoreBackground: Fibromyalgia syndrome and psoriasis share various soft problems. In addition, patients with psoriasis can experience subjective joint swelling and pain (Fibromyalgia syndrome) and objective swelling (Psoriatic arthritis) with the latter requiring systemic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs while the former requires anti-fibromyalgia measures.
Objective: To assess the rate of fibromyalgia syndrome in a sample of Iraqi patients with psoriasis.
Patients and Method: A sample of one hundred and twenty Iraqi patients with psoriasis and another one hundred and twenty healthy individuals matched for age and sex, serving as control group were studied. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done and vario
Abstract
Background: A significant proportion of patients with ischemic heart disease have been associated with peripheral arterial disease, yet it is still underestimated by our health system as many of patients are asymptomatic and this condition remains under diagnosed and therefore undertreated.
Objective: To study prevalence of peripheral arterial disease of the lower limbs in patient with acute coronary syndrome and its association with certain risk factors.
Method: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in the coronary care unit at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital from the 1st of January 2016 to the 1st of Novem
... Show MoreBackground: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is the
most common rheumatic cause of diffuse pain and
multiple regional musculoskeletal pain and disability.
Objective: is to assess the contribution of serum
lipoprotein (A) in the pathogenesis of FMS patients.
Methods: One hundred twenty two FMS patients
were compared with 60 healthy control individuals
who were age and sex matched. All FMS features and
criteria are applied for patients and controls; patients
with secondary FMS were excluded. Serum
Lipoprotein (A): [Lp(A)], body mass index (BMI), &
s.lipid profile were determined for both groups.
Results: There was a statistical significant difference
between patients &controls in serum lipoprotein
Background: Acute coronary syndrome refers to any group of clinical symptoms compatible with acute myocardial ischemia including unstable angina (UA), Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) & ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
Apelin is a novel endogenous peptide with inotropic and vasodilatory properties, it was recently reported that serum measurements of apelin were similar to its immunohistochemical data in vessels and heart tissues.
Objectives: This study aims to evaluate serum levels of apelin in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome related to severity of presentation.
Patients and Methods: The present study was conducted during the period from September 2014 until March 2015. Fifty-n
Background: Fibromyalgia (FMS) is characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia (pain from stimuli which are not normally painful with pain that may occur other than in the area stimulated) of more than 3 months duration. The current hypothesis of the etiology of FMS includes inflammatory and neuroendocrine disorders. Many features of fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism are virtually the same, and thyroid hormone treatment trials have reduced or eliminated fibromyalgia symptoms. These findings led the authors to test the hypothesis that fibromyalgia patients are hypometabolic compared to matched control .
Patients and Methods: The samples were taken from the patients attending the out-
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